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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27213391">Halloween Tricks</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ftbprotocol/pseuds/ftbprotocol'>ftbprotocol</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy XV</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Halloween</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:20:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,176</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27213391</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ftbprotocol/pseuds/ftbprotocol</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Every Halloween, Noctis refuses to participate in any of the celebrations. Why? Because he is terrified of what new thing the monster that stalks him will do.</p><p>Fills for the Halloween prompts on the Ardynnoct Discord. A mix of lighthearted and gory ficlets!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ardyn Izunia &amp; Noctis Lucis Caelum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Ardynoct DS</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Phobias/Pranking</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Didn't quite get every day done but it was a fun challenge to try!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct has a secret. Something he’s kept from everyone he knows. Neither his dad nor his advisor knows- he’s too embarrassed to tell them. His shield doesn’t know- he’d just laugh at him. Not even his best friend knows- Noct doesn’t want him to treat Noct any different.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>His secret is humiliating. He’s an adult now. And a prince. He’s not supposed to be scared of anything. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>But he is.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It started when he was younger. Around a certain time of year, he’d have the worst nightmares. He could never properly explain what or who it was in the dreams that tormented him. All he remembered was glowing yellow eyes and a formless shadow.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>For most of his life, he refused to fall asleep in the dark. Dad would tell him there was nothing to be afraid of; that there was nothing there. But Noct knew better.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Ignis and his dad think he’s grown out of it, now that he’s an adult. But he hasn’t. He’s just stopped talking to them about it. Gladio thinks his attempts to take away Noct's nightlights has worked, that he no longer needs them, instead of simply hiding them.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Prompto just thinks he gets weird around the holidays. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It’s a secret that is now easy to keep, for the most part. It doesn’t come up the majority of the year, and when it does, Noctis can aggressively pretend it doesn’t exist. At least until the month of October rolls around, and his phobia gets shoved in his face.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He’s terrified; but no one can know. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He flinches at the sight of decorations; expecting them to come to life.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He wants to scream and run; instead he freezes.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He withdraws into himself; afraid and alone.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He rejects Prompto’s yearly attempts to get him to watch movies with him. He refuses to participate in any of the holiday dances or parades.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Ignis tries to make him spiced treats but it just tastes like blood and ashes in his mouth. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Gladio tries to get him out of the apartment, to come see the city's celebrations, but Noct just locks him out.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>All of it has been ruined for him over the years. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>A whole week dedicated to honouring the dead. A week of parades, celebrations, activities to ward off bad spirits; all culminating in a trip to your ancestor’s graves. It’s the biggest, most important holiday for the people of Lucis.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>But Noct hates it. He hates Halloween.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>---</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Ardyn loves Halloween.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It’s the one time of year he can go around looking like himself, and no one comments on it.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>In fact, in the months both leading up to and following this time of year, people often remark on how much of a better mood he is in.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The people of Niflheim think it's weird he is so into a Lucian tradition. But it is written off as yet another expression of his eccentricity. For Ardyn it’s just too much fun. He can roam the halls with scourge dripping from his eyes and everyone assumes he’s wearing a costume. An expensive and elaborate one, but a costume nonetheless.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Of course, over the years people wonder why he wears the same thing every year. And when asked, Ardyn always has a different answer ready. Eventually they stop asking.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>That isn’t the only reason he loves Halloween.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>As the time when the veil between the living and the dead is at its weakest, it is the one time of year where spiritual connections are at their strongest.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The first time he’d stumbled into the dreams of the Chosen King he hadn’t realized where he was or how it had happened. They were the dreams of a child, filled with animals and toys.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Ardyn, never one to let an opportunity go to waste, of course took advantage of this connection immediately.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The boy was just so nauseatingly happy in his dreams. And that just wouldn't do.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Bahamut had claimed that the gods would be protecting the little prince from the ‘bringer of darkness.’ But this level of neglect made him seriously doubt it. Perhaps the Draconian had only meant physically, and had not thought to safeguard his chosen spiritually.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Either way, it didn’t matter to Ardyn. He didn’t care why he’d been given access to the boy’s dreams. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>After scaring the boy horribly the first year, he resolved to do it at every opportunity. And once he'd gotten a taste of the boy's fear, it was difficult to give it up. </span>
  <span>It became a bright spot in the long years of waiting for the chosen to come of age. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Every year he looks forward to Halloween. It was just so much fun.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Noctis: I hate Halloween &gt;:(<br/>Ardyn: I love Halloween! :3c</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Trick or Treat/Daemon/Monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It was supposed to be fun, his dad had said. Noctis would dress up with Iggy, get driven door to door, say ‘trick-or-treat,’ and get given candy.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He didn’t really understand why, when they’d never done this before. But it felt special. He loved the idea that if he just knocked on a door and said the magic words, he’d be handed treats; it sounded like the best thing ever. He wished it could be true every day. It wasn’t, but still, maybe Halloween didn’t have to be so bad afterall.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>This was the time of year his nightmares were the worst. So bad that he’d sometimes hide in his dad’s room and refuse to sleep anywhere else. It was the only place he felt safe. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>But Noct was a big boy now. He wasn’t supposed to sleep in his dad’s bed anymore. This year would be different. Dad promised.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Instead of getting scared of the monster in his dream, Noctis was going to be the scary monster. Dad asked Noct to pick out the scariest, most strongest, most baddest monster of them all to dress up as. He said if Noctis did that, he’d trick the monster in his dream, and it’d run away.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He liked the idea of scaring it away.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct was always running in his dreams, and the monster always chased him. It hunted him through the halls of the Citadel, jumping out at him, sometimes hurting him. Even after the nightmares stopped, and his dreams returned to normal, he’d see the monster’s glowing yellow eyes in every shadow.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Iggy and Dad always said there was nothing there.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It always took a long time for Noct to believe them.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>So far Dad had kept his promise. Noct hadn’t had any nightmares so far this year. Instead, he had fun adventures with his new friend Carbuncle.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>With his dreams a safe space, Noct threw himself into picking out the strongest monster.  Eventually he decided on a Tonberry. Not the scariest looking monster. But one that Ignis assured him was the strongest. Noct was skeptical but went with it. Iggy just knows things.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Iggy was dressed as a Cactuar. Which Noctis thought was silly and not scary at all.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The two of them were driven from door to door. Everytime they said trick-or-treat, they were given candy. Noct giggled to himself at the thought that no one could recognize him under the mask. He even made little stabbing motions with his knife when he said ‘trick or treat’ and was pleased with their scared reactions.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>If he could scare regular people then it meant it would also work on the monster. If the monster got past Carbuncle it was in for a nasty surprise!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>By the end of the night, legs aching with all the walking they had to do from his dad’s car to people’s doors, Noctis was exhausted. He’s got a lot of candy, and couldn’t wait to try it all.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The one thing that disappointed him though was that every single person had chosen ‘treat’ when he’d threatened them. None of them had chosen ‘trick’. Noct had no idea what he’d do for a trick, but he was sure he’d come up with something amazing!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noctis went to bed that night feeling really good. He went to bed still dressed as a Tonberry, much to his nanny’s disapproval. But he didn’t want to take the risk! He thought it couldn’t hurt right? Just unless Carbuncle couldn’t keep the scary monster away.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The lights were turned off. The room was dark, except for the little lights scattered around the room. It’s just bright enough that Noct can see, and just dark enough that he can sleep.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Through the gaps in the door he can see the lights are still on in the main room attached to his bedroom, as he has insisted on ever since the nightmares began. It is the space he takes his lessons, and where he sometimes gets to play with Dad or Iggy.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He needs all these lights. Even if a big boy like him shouldn’t need them.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct sits in bed, eyes drooping. He’s trying to sleep, but it’s hard. Even knowing Carbuncle was waiting for him, he’s still afraid of falling asleep. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>All the usual noises of people moving around the Citadel eventually go quiet. The sky is dark and everyone is asleep. That’s when he hears it, a knocking at his door.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He ignores it at first, too tired and sore. He thinks he’s imagining it.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>But then the knocking comes again.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct ignores it again, but he does wonder why his nanny hasn’t answered it yet. Or is it so late that she’s already left?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Tap-tap. Tap-tap. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Tap-Tap-Tap. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <br class="zw-br"/>
  <span>The knock is really annoying. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Unable to take it anymore, Noct gets up. He was so close to finally falling asleep! He stomps out of his room, the light from the anteroom blinding him for a second, and over to the main door. He’s never opened it before, but what if it was his nanny or something and she needed help?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct pulls hard on the handle, the knocking not stopping even though he’s already said that he was coming, and opens the door.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>There’s nothing there, just a dark and empty hall. Noct is confused.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The lights in the room pop and snap, plunging the room into darkness.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He screams.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Gold eyes reflect the faint light coming from his bedroom. Red spikes haloed the eyes. Something thick and black oozes and drips onto the ground. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noctis lands on his butt and wants to cry.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It has found him. The monster from his dreams has found him!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noctis had spent so long trying to protect his dreams, he hadn’t thought to protect his room.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The monster grows, the eyes moving from Noct’s height, the black shape rising and expanding, until it towered over him. White, jagged teeth are bared at him. A grin that said ‘I’m going to eat you’.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct trembles. He doesn’t know what to do!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He was dressed as a Tonberry! The most scary monster of them all! Iggy said so! And Iggy was never wrong!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The monster steps into his room with a loud thump and Noctis blurts, “You’re supposed to say ‘trick or treat’!”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The monster pauses. Noct holds his breath.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“I am?” The monster says, at the open door, one foot over the edge.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct shivers. “Y-yeah,” he gulps. “Those are the rules.”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“According to whom?” the monster asks.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“It’s just- the rules,” Noctis says, uncertain how to answer. The monster often uses big words Noct doesn’t know. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“And then I choose one, and give you candy,” Noctis says, gaining confidence when the monster still hasn’t come into his room, “and then you have to go away!”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The monster stands there, shadowy black ooze dripping onto the soft carpet.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“Very well then. Trick or treat~”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“Um.” Noct tears his eyes from the monster to look around for his candy bag, but his Nanny had put it away somewhere. He didn’t know where it was. “Um.”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“What is your choice? Or I’ll choose for you~!” The monster sings.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“Treat!” he cries. “Treat!”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“And where are these treats?”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“Um. Um.” Noct looks around frantically, still on the floor but can’t see his candy bag anywhere.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He’d spent so long getting that candy, what was the point if he couldn’t find it? He’d put so much effort into scaring-</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>That’s right! Noct remembers he is still dressed in his costume. How had the monster known who he was?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“Wait. I’m a tonberry! The scariest monster!” Noct accuses and points at the shifting shadow, “You’re supposed to be afraid!”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“While it’s true that I’m a monster…” it says, heavy footfalls following Noct as he scrambles back on the floor. “I’m also a daemon. And daemon’s don’t have to play by the rules.”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct whimpers in fear, turns, and runs. He tries to escape, even knowing that the monster always caught him. Everywhere he turns, the monster is waiting for him. Yellow eyes glowing evily and teeth bared in a hungry grin. Laughing at him.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“Treat! Treat!” he cries. “I said treat!”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“I’ve chosen my treat. And that treat is you.”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct starts to cry, ducking behind one of the sofas. The monster follows him, heavy feet rounding the edge.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He’s so scared, he doesn’t want to be monster food!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noctis stabs at the darkness with his knife. It goes right through the shadow, his arm swallowed by something warm and sticky. He can’t pull his hand out. It’s stuck!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>From above him, the monster’s voice growls, “Well little prince, if you want to be a Tonberry… lets see how you like it.”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Between one blink and the next, the room changes. The lights are back on, like they’d never been put out. The monster is gone, the shadow nowhere to be seen. In its place, where Noctis had stabbed…</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct drops the knife with a scream, falling over his feet, slipping over the blood that now soaks the floor.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The warm thing that had enveloped his arm had been his Nanny’s hand. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Blood bursts from where he’d stabbed her, splattering his face, and spilling onto the floor.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“Why…” she whispers, and collapses. Staring at Noct. Blaming him.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It’s all his fault.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“I- I didn’t mean to!” He backs away.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“But this is what a Tonberry does.” The monster’s voice cooes at him. The voice coming from everywhere. Surrounding him. Giving him nowhere to escape. “I thought you wanted to be a monster?”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>“No! No I don’t!” Noct cries, “I don’t wanna be a monster anymore!”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He collapses to his knees, tears blurring his vision and snot running down his nose. He cries and cries. His terror freezing him in place. He’s afraid if he moves, someone else he loves will be hurt.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The last thing Noct hears is the monster’s cruel laugh, echoing around him, filling his head, until darkness claims him.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph"> </p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>---</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct wakes up the next morning, still dressed as a Tonberry, and in his bed. He jumps up and runs into the main room, needing to know if it was a dream or not. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It looks the same as it always does. The lights are on. His Nanny is standing there, staring at him in surprise.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It must have been a dream.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct collapses in on himself and cries in relief.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Just a dream.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The monster had just been too strong for Carbuncle last night. That was all. His friend must be so tired from protecting Noct all month.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>But then, in an effort to cheer him up, his nanny asks where all his candy had gone.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct tears the room apart looking for it. His little heart beating faster and faster as he looks under the bed, behind the curtains, in his closet. He even starts to tear his clothes out of the drawers looking for it.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>But no matter how much he searches, he never finds it.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It hadn’t been a dream.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The monster had found him.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noctis never went trick or treating again.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0"> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Noct: Between Carbuncle and my Tonberry disguise, I'll be safe!</p><p>Ardyn: *gorges himself on Noct's candy while watching him cry*</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Food/Gore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I don't think this is too gory? Though I did make myself a bit sick while imagining the scene :p</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct hates this. He hates this time of year. He hates the big deal everyone makes of it. He hates the responsibilities he has as a prince and he hates the fact that he has to participate.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He never sleeps well, in the days leading up to Halloween week. He’s tired and irritable and everyone knows it. Even the</span>
  <span> public knows that their prince hates the most celebrated and important holiday in all of Lucis. It was something not even the royal newspapers could hide.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  <span>As the days counted down to the day of the dead, Noct became more and more fidgety. Unable to keep still. Eyes followed him everywhere he went, his skin prickled like it was trying to crawl off his body. </span>
  <span>And in parties like this, when there were people everywhere and he could physically see them staring at him, it was the worst.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>But Dad says he has to be here. He has a duty as the Prince of Lucis to uphold their traditions. He is a teenager now. He isn't supposed to be scared of Halloween anymore. In a country that holds above all else the worship of their ancestors, the people need a ruler to be the official bridge between the living and the dead.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>That can't happen if the prince is afraid of his own shadow.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>So Noct had been dragged to a party, where all the lords and ladies met to celebrate the passing of another year and to honour those that had died. Dad had already given his speech, and Noct had said the few words he’d spent hours practising with Iggy.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The room is full of people in fancy clothes. Tables loaded with food line the walls while people mingled between them. No one is wearing costumes, thank Astrals. That had been the one concession Dad had been willing to make so Noct would attend.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>The party is boring. Noct has spent most of it wandering the edges, nerves on edge. And he's starting to get really tired. Being on high alert for the monster would do that. Ever since that first night a many years ago, it no longer appeared only in his dreams. No one believed Noct, of course. They just thought his imagination was running wild.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It had never done anything around other people before. So of course they didn’t believe him. But at least that meant Noct was fairly safe for now… until the evening was over.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct walks towards one of the tables laden with meats and cheeses. He needs a break from smiling and making dumb small talk. At the table, someone who thought themselves clever had cut the meat to look like pieces of body parts. While the cheeses had all been died strange gross colours like green and orange.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Did that one look like vomit?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Eww.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct moves on from the piles of cheese and focuses on the meat trays.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Is that supposed to be a heart? And what iss this supposed to be? Noct starts to pick them up and put them on his plate as he examines them. Next he picks up what looks like a severed finger with blood coming out the wound. He tentatively licks at the blood and, as he thought, it was just ketchup. He has to give kudos to the chefs, they’d done a good job.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Even if the whole thing was making him a bit queasy. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>They did an especially good job with the eyeballs. Somehow they’d made it look like they were</span>
  <span> following him as he moved down the table. Creepy.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Next on the table is a severed head. The top half of the head had been cut off, and instead of brains there was something that looked like maggots inside. Noct has no idea what that could be. Some kind of pasta?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>It is all a little </span>
  <span>too</span>
  <span> realistic for his tastes.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He tries to ignore the severed head and instead picks up an eyeball. He realizes his mistake immediately. It's an olive! What are veggies doing on the meant and cheese table. Yuck!</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He almost puts it back on the table, then remembers his manners. He’d touched it already, so it had to go on his plate. He puts it in the far corner, away from the good stuff.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He reaches for the spoon for the pasta, but pauses. That's weird. Is the pasta… moving?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Wow talk about realistic. He hadn’t noticed it before. How did they do that?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct closes his hand around the large spoon and tentatively scoops some into the bowl. The pasta wiggles on the spoon, and then continues to wiggle even after he’d dumped them on his plate. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct throws the spoon back on the table and holds his plate away from his body. Just what is going on?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>In the severed head, the pasta-maggots are now wriggling out of the eye sockets. His stomach turns at the sight. He clenches his teeth and quickly looks away from the disgusting sight. Maybe he should have asked Iggy to get him some food. But he'd needed a break from the crowd.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Something soft and wet tickled the edge of his hand, making him look down at his plate to see the pasta-maggots crawling on his hand like real maggots.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He gasps and throws the plate onto the table, backing away and frantically shaking his hand free of the maggots.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>On the table the olive-eyes, looking too much like real eyes, as one all turn to look at him.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He startles, taking another step back, but not before a pungent smell starts to fill his nose ans slight buzzing fills his ears.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct looks on in horror as the table of innocent food reveals itself to be a disgusting medley of decomposing body parts. Blood squirts from the hearts. The fingers twitch and roll, as if they were still alive.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Bile burns the back of his throat as what he’d thought of as food threatens to come up.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Backing up, he bumps into someone who chides him for being rude.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He turns to them, hoping he isn't the only one seeing this, only to watch them happily biting into something red and gushing. Blood dribbles down their chin and drips from their fingers.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct backs away, a high-pitched scream caught in his throat.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Everywhere he looks now people are eating body parts. Ears and tongues, fingers and eyes. Blood stains their teeth. Flies buzz around the rotting flesh. </span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>What the fuck. Why is no one else doing anything!? Why are they all acting like things are fine!?</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct runs from the room, ignoring the yells and screams he left in his wake. He has to get away. He has to. He can't stay here. He pinches his nose, trying to block out the smell, unable to stand the rotting stench. But that just meant it fills his mouth. He can practically taste it.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  <span>Noct slaps a hand over his mouth, desperately trying to hold his jaw shut, as bile threatens at the back of his throat.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>He bursts out onto the balcony, barely making it to the farthest edge before his knees hit the marble and vomit fills his mouth. It spurts out from between his fingers and he gives up trying to hold it in. Bent over on his hands and knees, mouth wide open, and he throws up everything he’d eaten that night.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Angry voices are arguing behind him but he is too afraid to look.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>From right next to his ear, a gravelly voice whispers, “How did you like my trick?”</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph">
  
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  <span>Noct wants to curl into a ball and cry.</span>
</p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0"> </p><p class="zw-paragraph heading0">
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ardyn: *puts actual maggots in the pasta because it just looks too fake* Gotta add some realism! People these days don’t take the week of the dead seriously anymore!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Pumpkin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Noctis normally dreads the fall season. Every day takes him closer and closer to the worst time of year. Usually nothing can take his mind off the creeping dread, but this year is a bit different. </p><p>He’s made a new friend, Prompto.</p><p>The great thing about Prompto is that, like Noctis, he isn’t very excited about Halloween. He never asks Noct about trick-or-treating, even though some people their age still do it. He also doesn’t invite Noct to any parties, even though that's what most people are excited for. They briefly discuss costumes, but when Noct says he isn’t wearing one, Prompto never brings it up again. So it must not be very important to him either.</p><p>The only thing about Halloween Prompto does seem to like is horror movies and pumpkin carving. Noctis can do without the horror movies, but pumpkin carving seems safe enough. It’s something the servants had always done for him. He hadn't been allowed to help, he isn't even sure how it's done.</p><p>So when Prompto haltingly invites Noctis over he decides, why not?</p><p>Ignis and Gladio come as well of course. Which surprises Prompto but Noct is used to it. They are clearly just glad to see Noctis engaging with the holiday.</p><p>The carving is messier than anticipated. The guts of the pumpkin stick to his hands. Who knew the inside of a vegetable could be so slippery and gross? The seeds, which Ignis had insisted they collect in a bowl, keep flying out of his fingers in every direction. In the beginning, he’d wondered why Ignis had insisted on putting a plastic cover on the table and now understands.</p><p>It doesn’t help the floor though.</p><p>As soon as the pumpkins were hollowed out it was time for carving. Since it’s his first time, he’s told he should do something simple. But Noct has no interest in carving out that jagged toothed smile.</p><p>Instead he finds an outline of a cat on his phone and gets to work. How hard can it be?</p><p>Turns out, very.</p><p>All his time spent learning to fight with blades does not prepare him for the delicate cutting needed to shape the hard flesh of a pumpkin. His cat ends up lumpy and misshapen.</p><p>Gladio finishes first, a classic grinning pumpkin glaring and mocking Noct's cat. Ignis is in the kitchen, cleaning up after roasting the pumpkin seeds. At least Noct isn’t alone in his messed up carving. Prompto’s was apparently supposed to be a chocobo.</p><p>They both have a good laugh about it, making fun of each other’s pumpkins. It’s a nice feeling.</p><p>Ignis suggests they take a picture of them, probably eager to have evidence of Noct actually taking part in some of the yearly festivities. Noct expects it will be used against him next year to make him leave home but doesn’t mind. He’s had fun.</p><p>They line all the pumpkins up on the table and put small candles in them. Ignis lights them then Gladio turns off the lights.</p><p>As soon as the lights come back on they crowd around Ignis’ phone to see how the picture turned out.</p><p>They all look good in the dark, even Noct’s lumpy cat looks like it could have been an attempt at a daemon flan or something. The four pumpkins fill the screen, Gladio’s grin even better in the dark. Ignis’ pumpkin was even creepier, showing his talent in how he’d somehow managed to give it proper eyes.</p><p>Wait.</p><p>Ignis didn’t carve a pumpkin.</p><p>He looks up, and three pumpkins sit innocently on the table.</p><p>Noct tires to swallow, but a strange lump is preventing him. Why hasn’t anyone said anything? Don't they notice? They had to have seen it? </p><p>"Where'd the fourth pumpkin go?" he asks.<br/>
"The what?"</p><p>Noct looks at the Ignis' phone again. Three pumpkins glowing in the dark sit innocently in the frame.</p><p>Now that he thinks about it, there had been four pumpkins as soon as the lights had gone out. He frantically looks around the room. How is that possible? Where did the pumpkin go?</p><p>“Ah!” he cries pointing to the maliciously grinning face sitting on the window sill.</p><p>“Huh?” The others look but nothing is there anymore.</p><p>“Noct,” Ignis says slowly, in the tone he uses when trying to calm Noctis down, “It was just a trick of the light. There’s only three pumpkins.”</p><p>Noct hates this. He was just trying to make a friend. Now it’s been ruined. Now Prompto is going to think Noct is a crazy weirdo that jumps at shadows. He needs to get out of here. If he stays any longer, who knows what the monster will do? He won't let it ruin another friendship!</p><p>“Thanks Prompto, it was fun.” He leaves, not bothering to wait for Gladio even as he yells at Noct to slow down.</p><p>He needs to get home. It's too early! Why is the monster out already!? Noct should have at least another few days.</p><p>If he can just make it home, maybe he can bribe it. It doesn't always work, but it had left Noctis alone the one year. And Noct prayed every year it would again.</p><p>He runs through the streets, desperate to get home in time.</p><p>Everywhere he goes the pumpkin follows.</p><p>He turns down the main street and there it is, sitting innocently on someone’s porch.</p><p>He backtracks and tries to run down the main shopping street, but its reflection stares out at him from a display.</p><p>Without thinking about it, desperate to escape, he turns down a dark alley, not realizing his mistake until it’s too late.</p><p>A person is standing in the middle of the alley, their back to Noct, the light from a window illuminating them. Their black coat sucks in the light around it, making the bright red hair stand out all the more.</p><p>Noct hesitates. He wants to keep going, but the man is blocking his path. Something about the way he stands triggering his baser instincts.</p><p>“Hey,” he calls, voice shamefully shaking, “move out of the way would you?”</p><p>“Move?” the voice asks. It's deep and echoes off the narrow walls of the alley. “After I’ve finally found you?”</p><p>Noct’s knees lock in place, stopping him from running. He knows that voice. </p><p>The light in the alley fades.</p><p>The figure turns, revealing the scowling face of the pumpkin that had been following him in his mad dash from Prompto’s home.</p><p>What he’d mistaken for hair was actually the monster’s fur. What had looked like a black cloak, was the black leather of large wings.</p><p>Claws scratch against the pavement as the creature stalks closer.</p><p>Noct lets out a whimper.</p><p>Why? Why can’t he just have one good thing happen to him on Halloween?</p><p>From somewhere deep inside him he didn’t know existed, a little voice that sounded suspiciously like Gladio, yells at him to defend himself. To fight back.</p><p>With a terrified cry, Noct summons a sword and slashes at the monster’s head. He cleaves right through it, sending the top half flying through the air.</p><p>But it doesn’t slow the monster down at all.</p><p>Noct runs for his life.</p><p>Runs and runs until he is safe in the Citadel.</p><p>Runs until he can no longer hear that malicious laugh echoing between the buildings.</p><p>Dad finds him later that night, in the king’s bed, still shaking under the covers.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ardyn, running around with his scourge face on and holding the pumpkin in front of his head: “Ooooo~”</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Costumes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It’s the last year of school and Noct can’t wait for it to be over. All the pressure to be top of the class will be gone and he’ll be able to just relax for a while.</p><p>But first he has to get through this night.</p><p>It’s the annual school Halloween party. In the past Noct was always able to get out of it by claiming to have royal responsibilities. But this year Dad had insisted he go. As the future valedictorian, thanks for the extra pressure Dad, it is important that he be seen with his classmates at the most meaningful time of the year.</p><p>Noct hates it.</p><p>So far he thinks he’s been able to hide his constant flinching at sudden movements. No one has said anything at least. But he is on high alert. Years and years of not being able to trust his senses on Halloween have left him a wreck.</p><p>It’s a bit early for anything to happen. Halloween week officially starts in a few days, but Noct has learned over the years not to let his guard down. Not that it helps. Trying to predict what will happen and prepare himself has never worked out. If anything, sometimes his hyper vigilance only makes it worse. But knowing that doesn’t help.</p><p>One year he'd tried to ignore the monster's tricks, knowing that so far no one had died or been seriously hurt. Tried, and failed. The monsters tricks were just too realistic.</p><p>“Hey Noct!”</p><p>Noct hides his flinch by pretending to adjust his tail.</p><p>“Here buddy,” Prompto says, handing him a glass of punch.</p><p>Noct does his best to give his friend a real smile, though it’s probably more of a grimace. Prompto is dressed as a character from a new game they just started playing, Justice Monsters. Noct had assumed he’d be dressed as one of the heroes, when Prompto told him. It had been a nasty surprise to see one of the monsters instead.</p><p>At least a Bomb wasn’t too gross, unlike some of his classmates who were competing with each other on who had the most disgusting costume. And Noct can at least appreciate that it’s a little silly. Prompto had looked crestfallen when Noct didn’t laugh during the grand reveal. His friend had even spiked his hair and dyed it a bright red with orange highlights. It’s not his fault that Noct hates surprises at this time of year.</p><p>“Thanks,” Noct says, releasing his tail. He was dressed as a black cat, to the surprise of no one. Ignis had made a comment on how he shouldn’t use it to hide at the party, but that was exactly what Noct had planned.</p><p>The two of them are hanging out in a quiet corner of the gym. At the far end a band is playing on a stage, while people dance in the space in front of it. Noctis refuses to dance.</p><p>Prompto makes the party bearable. While sipping punch, and so Noct can focus his mind productively, they try to guess what each costume is supposed to be and who is wearing it. For some it is impossible to tell, but Prompto was often able to guess based on what he’d overheard people talking about in class. The only one Prompto has trouble with is the asshole who dressed as a Marilith.</p><p>It helps. It grounds him. Reminded him that these are all his classmates and not… actual monsters, like his mind keeps trying to convince him.</p><p>What doesn't help is the feeling of eyes constantly on him. As the prince it is expected when he was in public. He’d gotten used to it at school for the most part. But he’d dressed as a cat for a reason. He wasn’t supposed to stand out. With the mask and cat ears he should be able to blend in better.</p><p>But no matter where he moves in the room, the eyes follow him.</p><p>He refuses to go near the food and drink table. When they get hungry, Prompto dutifully goes over to fill plates for the two of them. Noct doesn't explain and Prom doesn’t ask.</p><p>As soon as Prompto leaves, the feeling of being watched intensifies. Noct can’t explain it to himself, but it’s like everywhere he looks there is at least one pair of eyes on him. He forces himself to relax shoulders that are instinctively starting to hunch.</p><p>He looks around for Prom. What is taking him so long?</p><p>His gaze jerks back over the crowd of dancers, all hopping and swaying in time to the music, when something about them strikes him as being off.</p><p>A person dressed as a zombie walks cutting off his view before he can figure out what is bothering him. Astrals they smell. Noct covers his nose with a gloved hand discreetly and turns away. As he does so, he notices something detach from their body and land on the ground with a wet squelch.</p><p>He crouches down to pick it up, calling out, “Hey, you dropped this.”</p><p>The person rudely ignores him and keeps walking. Annoyed, Noct picks it up, intending to go after them, but freezes at the putrid stench, and at the way it slips out of his fingers.</p><p>“Gross!” he says, standing and backing away from it, green pus now coating his hand. Who does something like that?</p><p>Noct searches for something to wipe his hand on. Where is Prompto? With nothing nearby to wipe it on besides the wall, he just settles for taking the glove off, turning it inside out and putting it in his pocket.</p><p>Except… wow his glove is on tight. That’s weird. Why isn’t it coming off?</p><p>He picks at his wrist, trying to find the seam… and can't.</p><p>He tries his other other glove, pulling at it with his teeth, but just gets a mouth full of fur. Noct rears back at the unexpected feeling. What the hell? He tries to wipe his mouth off on his arm, but the fur just continues up his arm.</p><p>Something brushes against the back of his legs and Noct jumps, spinning in place, but nothing is behind him. It happens again, but this time Noct looks down and sees his tail, curling around his body like it has a mind of it's own.</p><p>Noct swallows past the lump in his throat and breathes out harshly though his nose. It's early. Again the monster is early! But he's never done anything like this before. How is it even possible?</p><p>The constant feeling of eyes on him all night take on a whole new light.</p><p>Is the monster watching him now? Laughing that echoing, terrifying laugh?</p><p>"Hey buddy! Sorry to make you wait-" A floating bomb, heat blasting from its mouth appears behind him. Noct jumps away, slashing at the outstretched forks of fire. "Woah!"</p><p>Wait- that sounds like- "Prom?"</p><p>"Yeah? Sorry, did I surprise you? My bad."</p><p>Noct slaps a hand over his eyes, claws scraping against his temple, trying to block it all out. He's shaking now, still in his defensive crouch, tail curled around him protectively. He needs to focus on Prom's voice. It's real. Just focus on Prompto.</p><p>"Hey, are you okay Noct? Do we need to leave?"</p><p>"Y-yeah," he says, but his body refuses to move.</p><p>A scorching heat touches his shoulder and Noct instinctively leaps back, smacking into the wall.</p><p>"D-don't touch me."</p><p>"Uh... wait did someone spike the punch? I'm so sorry dude, I swear I checked!"</p><p>"O-oh yeah. That's it. Just a- weird reaction. I'll be fine," he tries to reassure his friend, all while trying to contain his freak out.</p><p>He needs to get out of here. He doesn't care how it will look. If he's sneaky about it, maybe it will take a while for anyone to notice. Though knowing his luck he'll be spotted immediately.</p><p>Noct opens his eyes and behind the floating bomb he reminds himself is Prompto, the Marilith slithers past. It towers over the bomb, multiple arms swaying in time to the beat.</p><p>Noct's breath catches in his throat.</p><p>His back cramps as phantom blades strike against his spine.</p><p>A sword is summoned to his hand before he even realizes what is happening.</p><p>Then the Marilith is gone, disappearing into the crowd of dancing monsters and daemons.</p><p>"What the hell Noct!" the bomb hisses.</p><p>Noct shakes himself. It isn't real. It isn't real. Had he almost really...?</p><p>He swallows harshly, the taste of the punch he'd just drank filling his mouth as some of it came back up. Had he really almost attacked a classmate? He needs to get out of here. Now.</p><p>Ignoring Prompto, Noctis frantically looks for an exit. As soon as he sees the glowing sign above one of the doors he makes a break for it, pushing a pair of goblins out of his way.</p><p>He can feel people watching him. The fur all down his pack is standing on end. But there's one pair of eye watching him with malicious amusement. He knows it. He can feel it. He needs to get away from it.</p><p>He breaks out of the school gym and out onto the playing field.</p><p>He can hear people following him, but when he turns to look all he sees is a crowd of monsters snarling and hungry for his blood.</p><p>The double doors close behind him with a loud crash. He quickly summons a spear and shoves it between the handles, sealing the door just in time. They shake and rattle as the monsters try to chase him, but he's locked them in.</p><p>But then he looks onto the field. Staring back at him is the Marilith, a vicious gleam in its eyes.</p><p>Noct almost summons a sword and attacks it. Almost. But a part of him knows he shouldn't. A part of him is too scared to face the thing that crippled him.</p><p>He runs, trying to dodge around the building and get to the edge of school property. If he can just get to the gate, he can warp over it. No one could follow him then.</p><p>A part of him knows it's useless. His child self wants to just curl into a ball and cry. But he is  older now, and faster. He holds out hope that he can outrun it. That cat-like ears on top of his head twitch, picking up the sound of scales slithering on the ground behind him. His whiskers dance in the wind.</p><p>He almost makes it. The steel grey bars are right in front of him, when a heavy weight slams into his back. His vision swims, a clawed hand grips the back of his head, and he is crushed into the ground.</p><p>Noct flails, screaming, desperate to get it off. But hands are holding his arms tight against the rough pavement. Another hand presses his face painfully into the ground. The heavy weight of its body crushes his chest. He can't breathe!</p><p>He's eight again. Everyone is dead. He can smell the blood, the stink of death. People are screaming as they die. Where's Dad? He want's Dad!</p><p>"Daddy dearest isn't here."</p><p>Noct freezes. Not even daring to breathe. He knows that voice.</p><p>"I know it goes against 'the rules' but I thought, why not be the one to leave you with a treat this year? Something to remember me by."</p><p>A high pitched whine fills the air. It takes the monster shushing him for Noct to realize it came from him.</p><p>"Aw poor little prince, is this bringing back bad memories?"</p><p>Noct tries to fight back. He does. Honest. But his arms just won't obey him. His legs feel too heavy. He can't fill his lungs.</p><p>A sharp pain slashes across his back, forcing what little air was left in his lungs out.</p><p>Spots fill his vision. The faint glow of the street lights swing in his vision.</p><p>"Are you going to pass out on me? No matter," the says with evil glee, "there's always next time."</p><p>The last thing Noct hears before he passes, as his world narrows to only darkness, is the monster laughing.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Noctis: If I can just get through this one night I'll be fine<br/>Ardyn: A chance to play dress-up? How fun!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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